Six Journalists Jailed in Turkey Over Coup Coverage

PRESS FREEDOM

Published Feb. 16, 2018 1:57PM ET

REUTERS/Murad Sezer

A Turkish court sentenced six journalists and other media employees to life in prison without parole for “involvement in Turkey’s 2016 failed coup,” according to the state media. Journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, and Nazli Ilicak, along with three other associates, were indicted and charged for crimes against the state. They are the first to be convicted over coverage of the coup, and more journalists are slated to go to trial over their coverage of the coup and government. This comes as over 38,000 are currently in jail in the aftermath of the post-coup government crackdown—targeting media and government officials.